This invention relates to an exhaust turbocharger with exhaust recirculation.
Unexamined German Patent DE 103 48 366 A1 describes a method for operating a diesel engine with direct fuel injection, having an intake tract, an outlet tract and an exhaust turbocharger. The internal combustion engine is supercharged by an exhaust turbocharger which has a turbine that is operated with exhaust and a compressor driven by the turbine. Upstream from the compressor, a charging air cooler is arranged on the intake side. In addition a high-pressure exhaust recirculation system with an exhaust recirculation line is provided between the exhaust line and the intake tract. The high-pressure exhaust recirculation system has an exhaust recirculation cooler and an exhaust-recirculation valve. Depending on the pressure difference between the exhaust line and the intake tract, an exhaust pump may also be provided in the exhaust recirculation line to control and/or increase the exhaust recirculation rate. In addition to the high-pressure exhaust recirculation system, a low-pressure exhaust recirculation system is also provided upstream from the turbine and downstream from the compressor. Downstream from a particle filter in the exhaust line, a second exhaust recirculation line branches off and opens downstream from the compressor into the intake tract. An exhaust recirculation cooler and an exhaust recirculation valve are provided in the second exhaust recirculation line. To control the exhaust recirculation rate, an exhaust valve is provided in the exhaust line downstream from the branching point.
With the embodiment described here, a method for operating an internal combustion engine can be implemented. With this method, minimal nitrogen oxide emissions and soot emissions occur from the lower partial load range to the full load range and a high efficiency is achieved.
The object of the present invention is to further increase the efficiency of the exhaust turbocharger.
This object is achieved by incorporation of an exhaust recirculation line largely in a spiral form in the exhaust turbocharger housing.
The invention improves the dynamics by providing higher turbocharger speeds in the partial load range because of creation of pre-twist due to the exhaust recirculation stream. In addition, the overall efficiency of the exhaust turbocharger in the partial load range is improved at high exhaust recirculation rates. Furthermore the invention constitutes a compact implementation of exhaust recirculation into the clean air stream by integration into the compressor housing.
Due to this compact introduction of the exhaust into the compressor housing, the precipitation of condensate from the hot combustion gas under unfavorable temperature conditions is minimized. The short dwell time of the exhaust in the compressor housing allows the formation of only small droplets, which do not cause any damage to the compressor wheel. Due to the spiral channel in the compressor housing, possible quantities of condensate are kept at the lowest point in the compressor housing due to the aerodynamic backpressure of the main air stream and can evaporate again after “hot” operating conditions.
Tangential introduction of the exhaust into the compressor space enhances the advantages mentioned above.
Alternatively, the direction of discharge of the exhaust return line into the compressor space may also include an axial component. In this case the point of introduction into the main stream advantageously leads into an especially large volume. In this way the main stream is only minimally constricted and thus a reduced intake vacuum is achieved.
A flow guidance element also may be provided, further increasing the spiral twist.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.